Detroit Lions running backs in line to make fantasy football-embedded running back pay off bet

To his credit, Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler has fully embraced fantasy football via a podcast he does with Matt Harmon of Yahoo! Sports. From a Detroit Lions' angle, a couple months ago he offered an informed perspective on the development Jahmyr Gibbs still had to do.

The Lions' running back duo, Gibbs and David Montgomery, has taken shape as head coach Dan Campbell envisioned. A true "two-headed monster."

Back in August, Harmon and Ekeler talked about the Lions' backfield duo from a fantasy perspective. A listener had submitted a bold prediction that Montgomery and Gibbs would both finish as top-15 fantasy running backs this year. It rarely happens, and Ekeler said what he would do if Montgomery and Gibbs did it.

"Ah, come on. Has that ever happened? Ekeler said. Where, two running backs on one team finished in the top-15? I mean, I'm going to say, no it's never happened....That is extremely bold. If that happens, I'll shave my eyebrows. You heard it here first."

Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery lined up to make Austin Ekeler pay off bet

It could come down to a matter of scoring system semantics for Ekeler to avoid shaving his eyebrows.

Let's see where Gibbs and Montgomery rank in the most common scoring settings entering Week 16.

Standard scoring: Gibbs-RB9, Montgomery-RB10
0.5-point PPR: Gibbs-RB10, Montgomery-RB14
Full PPR: Gibbs-RB9, Montgomery-RB20

Since Ekeler is associated with Yahoo! and their default scoring is 0.5-point PPR, let's assume the 0.5-point PPR rankings will be what determines the state of his eyebrows. When he'll shave his eyebrows, if he has to, is unclear and a display will surely be made of it on the podcast. But he could look different for what might be his final game as a Charger in Week 18. Let's also assume it will be determined by where Gibbs and Montgomery are ranked at the end of Week 17, since most fantasy leagues end then.

Most fantasy football consequences involve embarrassment for a league's last place team. Ekeler went public with a preseason bet that would alter his physical appearance for a little while if he lost. The Lions' running back duo is lined up to make him regret it.